


someone to adore

by fonulyn



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Dog owner Nicky, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Vet Joe, a tiny bit of awkward flirting, and Marie the dog, but nothing explicit, he thinks only in superlatives, it's just fluffy and cute, modern AU - no powers, praising Joe a lot bc Nicky has a gigantic crush :'D, vague hints of sad backstory for Nicky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:14:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29087415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fonulyn/pseuds/fonulyn
Summary: “She seems to be healing perfectly,” Joe says, smiling and scratching her belly as she flips around onto her back as soon as she’s released. “I think I can give my official seal of approval and declare her a healthy pup!”“That’s amazing,” Nicky says, a rush of relief flooding through him. At the same time there’s a little bit of disappointment mixed into it. Of course he wants his pet to be healthy, but that also means no more regular check ups at the clinic. On a logical level he knows it’s irrational, he does have multiple pets and if nothing else there are always regular vaccinations and check ups. Yet somehow coming here has been the high point of both Marie’sandNicky’s week lately.Nicky is still a little wrong-footed, still a little lost in his mind, when Joe suddenly exclaims “Ohhh, you want to give me akiss?”--Or the one wherein Joe is a charming vet and Nicky owns multiple dogs.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 52
Kudos: 255
Collections: All and More (18+) Kaysanova Gift Bag 2020





	someone to adore

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [LotusBlossomed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LotusBlossomed/pseuds/LotusBlossomed) in the [All_and_More_Gift_Bag_2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/All_and_More_Gift_Bag_2020) collection. 



> okay so it’s not 100% what you said but it is a dog-owner-and-a-vet meet cute, so I hope you’ll enjoy it anyway :’D Nicky brings one of his dogs to the vet he not-so-subtly has a crush on~

“Come on, sweetie,” Nicky coos softly as he picks Marie up, cradling her against his chest. “It’s our turn now.” She isn’t prone to barking at other dogs, not really, but as laid back as she is, being at the vet is always a little bit of a high stress situation. She’s eyeing one of the mastiffs in the waiting room, her little body strung taut as if she’s ready to pounce, and Nicky tightens his hold as he ducks into the exam room, giving the receptionist a quick smile before she closes the door behind them. 

Immediately a familiar voice greets them, causing Marie to double her efforts in trying to get out of Nicky’s hold. “Marie! One of my favorite patients!” Joe – the new vet that has only been here for a couple of months now, one that Nicky may or may not have a ridiculous crush on – says, all bright and boisterous and infectiously happy, already reaching out to take the little overly excited dog from Nicky. He handles her with such incredible ease and confidence, even as he looks up and greets Nicky with considerably more softness. “Nicky.”

“Joe,” Nicky smiles and nods in greeting, resolutely ignoring the strange little twist his heart makes in his chest. “She’s been feeling really well,” he nods towards Marie, not really knowing what else to say. It could hardly be appropriate to confess your love to your vet, especially since they’ve only interacted a few times by now. 

The first time, Nicky doesn’t even remember anything about, as he’d been so scared for Marie, who had never before been hurt so badly. All he has are vague memories of Joe being a calm, balancing force oozing security in a way that had made the whole experience at least bearable. The subsequent visits were less high stress, despite the lingering worry for his pet, and that’s when Nicky realized that the new vet was not only professional and incredibly nice, but also the most attractive person on the _planet_. Quite possibly the entire universe. 

Joe had shifted his attention back to the actual patient, finally managing to get her on the exam table so he could take a look at how the hind leg had healed after the injury. “She seems to be healing perfectly,” he says, smiling and scratching her belly as she flips around onto her back as soon as she’s released. “I think I can give my official seal of approval and declare her a healthy pup!”

“That’s amazing,” Nicky says, a rush of relief flooding through him. At the same time there’s a little bit of disappointment mixed into it. Of course he wants his pet to be healthy, but that also means no more regular check ups at the clinic. On a logical level he knows it’s irrational, he does have multiple pets and if nothing else there are always regular vaccinations and check ups. Yet somehow coming here has been the high point of both Marie’s _and_ Nicky’s week lately.

Nicky is still a little wrong-footed, still a little lost in his mind, when Joe suddenly exclaims “ _Ohhh_ , you want to give me a _kiss_?”

And Nicky doesn’t stop to wonder how it’s possible that Joe knows that. He doesn’t stop to think that it’s an odd thing to suddenly say to a customer, and that it _definitely_ didn’t exactly fit the conversation they were having. All he can think of is how he really, really does want to kiss Joe, and so he blurts out a “Yes, I do.”

But then Joe looks up at him from those ridiculously expressive, beautiful eyes, surprise written clearly all over his expression. 

And Nicky nearly panics. “I’m so, so sorry, I didn’t mean to, I just—” He cuts himself off with a groan. He can feel the heat rising to his cheeks no matter how much he tries to force it down, and he’s certain that the blush is as visible as he fears it is. Joe starts to say something, but Nicky is too scared to hear _what_ it is so he powers on to explain. “I sometimes fill in what I think the dog is saying, you know? Have these conversations with them although it’s just me doing all the voices? They all have different voices, too. Antoine has the squeakiest highest voice, Ernest sounds kind of constipated, Artturi for some reason has a weird accent, and…” As he realizes he’s still talking he slowly trails off. “I will stop talking now.” 

Nicky dares to open his eyes again, and at least Joe isn’t outright laughing at him or looking at him like he’s the most annoying person on the planet. He does look amused, though, like he’s halfheartedly trying to hold back his grin but not doing a good enough job to quite manage. “I have two very important questions,” he says, and the amusement is also evident in his voice, as well as visible in the sparkle in his eyes. 

As if on cue, Marie gives a happy little yip from the table. Automatically Nicky brings his hands down to push his fingers into her fur, and she gives him a happy tail waggle in return. Slowly, only with some healthy amount of hesitation, Nicky asks “Yes?”

“You have _four_ dogs?

“Uhm,” Nicky says, and swallows hard. “Five, actually.” He’s grateful for Marie, how he can hide his shaky fingers in her fur and pretend like he’s just casually petting her. “Two of them are really old, I just wanted to offer them a peaceful last home. And two are my, were my, I…” He doesn’t really want to spring his life story on someone who’s practically a stranger, who certainly doesn’t want to hear a random client’s sob story about losing their only remaining family and ending up adopting their dogs. So he finishes with a vague, “they weren’t planned.”

Somehow he’s still babbling, and he wants to kind of just vanish from this earth. He’s lucky enough to meet the most gorgeous vet in the world, one who’s as nice as he’s handsome, and now he’s just leaving a weird impression by being a blubbering idiot. Joe only looks at him, curious and not at all judgmental, and somehow Nicky finds the courage from that to go on. “What’s the other question?”

The small smile on Joe’s face widens and he lets out a laugh. Nicky thinks it’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever heard. “You named your dogs after famous chemists?”

“I… yes?” Nicky answers, although it sounds more like a question, really. He can’t help the slow smile that spreads on his face, his heart doing a joyous little skip in his chest. “No one has ever made that connection before.” To be fair, it was his sister who started the trend, and he mostly kept it up in honor of her memory. 

“So it means _you_ , little miss,” Joe says as he turns towards Marie, and she’s immediately bouncing so excitedly that Nicky has trouble keeping her still, even though she should definitely be small enough to be controlled. Joe brings both of his hands up and scratches at her ears, practically beaming at her. “Are _obviously_ Marie Curie.”

Marie responds by trying to jump up and slobber all over Joe’s face, but Joe dodges the attempts, laughing. “Oh, I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he coos at the little, overly excited dog, who is still straining to get to eye-level with him, every fiber of her tiny body thrumming with the excitement of having made a new friend. “I am not really into ladies.” 

As Joe says the last word he glances up at Nicky, as if he’s trying to tell him something. Nicky’s traitorous brain only keeps chanting _he is so nice he is so pretty he is so perfect how can he even be real_ and he smiles sort of dopily at Joe until his mind _finally_ catches up with what has been said. Joe is looking at him with amusement mixed with genuine curiosity mixed with something Nicky thinks might be attraction or interest, but he doesn’t dare to hope, not really.

Not before Joe turns to look at Marie again, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “You know him better than I do, so tell me. Do you think he would like to go out with me?”

Marie yips as if she understands the question. In all honesty, she probably thinks he’s offering her treats. 

Meanwhile Nicky is just about done having an existential crisis at the vet’s office. He’s never been _like this_ , and he can damn well act like a normal human being, he tells himself. His dog is fine, he doesn’t need to worry for her, and he can find back his usual confidence. “Uhm,” he starts, “this might be presumptuous of me but would you maybe consider a coffee date with me? Or maybe even dinner?”

“On one condition,” Joe says, and directs the full force of that radiant smile of his towards Nicky. It’s all sorts of blinding, and in that moment, Nicky would stupidly promise him absolutely anything. “I want to meet the rest of your pack.”

Nicky can already imagine what a disaster it will be, as all five of his dogs are ridiculously people-friendly and even more ridiculously enthusiastic about showing it. In his mind he sees Joe buried under a pile of excited dogs who all want to be petted and all want to have him as a new best friend. 

Then again, could be worse. 

“I think that can be arranged,” Nicky says, allowing his grin to break free.

**Author's Note:**

> so the chemists the dogs were named after are Antoine Lavoisier, Ernest Rutherford, Artturi Virtanen (I’m a Finn what can I say lol) and, obviously, Marie Skłodowska Curie. the last dog, not mentioned by name, is named Mendeleev after Dmitri Mendeleev, even though everyone tells Nicky it’s not a suitable name for a beautiful spaniel lady.
> 
> am also [on tumblr](https://fonulyn.tumblr.com/) if you wanna come say hi! :)


End file.
